When I got my first guitar, I bought a Mel Bay book on folk guitar, but it wasn't working out. So I bought a classical book and learned where the notes were on a guitar. (I already knew what notes make up chords from piano lessons.) After I felt at home on the guitar keyboard, I went back to the Mel Bay book, and pretty soon I was accompanying my own singing. Both books were well worth the money.

Further, without Mel Bay I never would have learned "Big Rock Candy Mountain" and "The Frozen Logger."